Monday, November 16, 2015

Male on Monday: The 007 Version

Greetings everyone! The name's Wallace. Barbara Wallace. And in honor of Spectre, the latest James Bond thriller, I've decided to dedicate this week's Male on Monday column to everyone's favorite secret agent. Or rather, to the sexy actors who played him.

Ever since 1967 when Sean Connery handed in his MI5 credentials, fans have debated who played the sexy, womanizing spy the best. Was it Connery? Or was it one of the many actors who followed?

I've given the topic a great deal of thought (more like 15 minutes and a reviewing of Dr. No) and have come up with what I feel is Barbara Wallace's definitive ranking of The Greatest James Bonds of All Time. Here they are, in descending order:

6. George Lazenby. What can I say George? You seem good looking enough, but anyone who is reduced to a trivia question cannot be the greatest Bond of all time. Most of us haven't even see On Her Majesty's Secret Service. (Bonus demerits for dissing the franchise after one movie too.)

5. Roger Moore. Yes, I know he played Bond for years, but I confess, I loathed his Bond portrayal, even when he was at his peak popularity. He just never did it for me. Sorry Roger. Nothing personal. (Well, maybe a tad personal.)

4. Timothy Dalton. The first actor to bring a darker edge to Bond, more in keeping with Ian Fleming's novels. You have to respect any actor who wants to capture an author's vision. In the spirit of honesty, his Bond came during my college years, a time when Duran Duran's View to a Kill theme song made more of an impression than the film itself. I give him credit though, it's hard to take on a role that everyone knew was supposed to be Pierce Brosnan's.

3. Pierce Brosnan. Ahh, Remington Steele. I remember when the series prevented him from taking over the role from Roger Moore. At that time, he was the perfect choice for Bond. Suave, funny, sexy. He was a tad old when he finally got his Bond chance, but he still rocked. For that he gets the #3 spot.

2. Daniel Craig. This is more of a 1A than a 2 because to me, Daniel Craig is one of the sexiest men on the planet. Is his traditionally handsome like Pierce Brosnan? No, but he's so masculine it doesn't matter. His virility leaps off the screen. Plus, he brings a depth to the character that didn't exist in the earlier films. There's only one reason he's not number 1, and that's....

1. Sean Connery. The one. The original. Nobody Does It Better, baby. (Sorry, Roger, he even rates the title of your film.) Connery was in on the cheekiness and over-the-top nature of Bond from the start, and that's what made him so damn appealing. Let's face it, without him, Bond wouldn't have made it past Dr. No.

Do you agree with my rankings? Let me know your personal order in the comment section. Also, who would you pick to replace Daniel Craig if he steps down? Enquiring minds want to know.

Barbara Wallace currently writes sweet romance for Harlequin Romance. Her next novel, Saved by the CEO (The Vineyards of Calanetti #8) will be released in February. You can check out all her books (and sign up for her newsletter) at BarbaraWallace.com